Creature Comforts

January 5, 2001|By CHARLYNE VARKONYI SCHAUB Home & Garden Editor

Welcome to the real new millennium.

We finally have arrived at the bellwether year that seemed so distant in 1968, when Stanley Kubrick introduced his 2001: A Space Odyssey. But, strangely enough, the way we are living today seems less alien than the science-fiction predictions. Sure, many of us are Internet junkies and others drive cars with built-in mapping systems. But, in reality, there's little of the Kubrick or Jetsons lifestyle in most of our environments.

Despite technology, we still want our homes to be comfortable havens from the outside world.

We have looked through the latest trends, fads and innovations and have put together several things you can do to improve your home environment in the 21st century. Some are inexpensive pick-me-ups. We admit others are a bit costly. But, even those things beyond your pocketbook can provide some inspiration to make your home more of a haven.

Anything pug

Pugs, those adorable little dogs with the pushed-in faces, bulging round eyes and curlicue tails, have become the pet du jour. Look closely and you'll see them everywhere -- from movies (Men of Honor) to TV commercials (MasterCard).

And pug people are known to go all out for their canine cuties. One socially prominent couple, with homes in Palm Beach, London and Mill Neck, N.J., reportedly gave a party at the Colony Club in New York in honor of their four female pugs. The Colony is not doggy-friendly, but the party honored the couple's "four maiden daughters" in absentia with their photos. The event was decorated with pug service plates, Beanie Baby pugs climbing out of the flower arrangements and large pug-shaped cookies.

You can find pug themes on pillows, portraits, staplers and ceramic figures. Some good sources include: the Ballard Designs catalog (800-367-2775 or www.ballarddesigns.com) and the Gump's catalog (800-284-8677 or www.gumps.com).

FOR THE RECORD - PUBLISHED FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2001Because of incorrect information given to the Sun-Sentinel, a story on Page 1E of last Friday's Home & Garden section reported wrong prices. TOTO's Carlyle toilet with the SanaGloss self-cleaning finish sells for about $599 and the Vespin is about $379. We regret the errors.

Or you can get your own fabric and make pillows, drapes, even purses. Lee Jofa's popular "Pugs and Petals" fabric, which features pugs in wreaths of flowers, comes in two color combinations and in either chintz or linen. It is available at Lee Jofa/Mark Biller & Associates at the Design Center of the Americas in Dania Beach (954-925-2424) if you buy through architects, interior designers or DCOTA's Designer on Call program (954-920-7997). The net price of the chintz is $49 per yard; the linen is $59. To that, add shipping charges plus the designer or architect's markup, which may vary from 20 percent in the Designer on Call program to 30 percent or more for other professionals.

Way out style

Feel in a design rut? Add something for a touch of style or whimsy that you normally wouldn't dare try. Your dash of excitement can be as simple as an animal print pillow (this trend shows little sign of going away) or a really funky stool or ottoman.

These items can come in all price ranges, but to give you an idea of what we mean we have selected the Stella "Mega" Ottoman designed by Ronald Dhing of Urbana, a cutting-edge furniture company in Orange, Calif. The "Mega," which resembles a starfish, is 52-by-52-by-18 inches high and has a bent molded frame and polished aluminum legs. It has a suggested retail of $2,125. The "Mini" version is 30-by-30-by-17 inches high and retails for $1,490.

You've seen the TV ads of the woman who cooks and cooks and cooks in her massive oven. The message: Bigger really is better.

Many of us who just came through the holidays don't need much convincing. How much could you jam into your standard oven besides the holiday turkey?

The engineers at Amana say they can help you put an end to assembly line cooking with what they are calling "The Big Oven." On the outside, it is no larger than a typical 30-inch-wide household range. But the inside is a very large 5.1 cubic feet, which Amana claims is the largest cooking capacity of any standard household range on the market. Typical ovens average about 3 to 4 cubic feet. Even the window on the oven door is larger so you can really see what's cooking. The first two versions of "The Big Oven" are gas with a suggested retail of $749-$899. An electric model should be on the market by April 1, according to Amana spokesman Russ Maheras. By June, the company will be manufacturing a stainless steel model and a European convection oven.

For more information and local retailers, check the Web site at www.amana.com or call 800-843-0304.

Elegance for the bath

When there is no place else to retreat from the stresses of the day, where can we find a comfortable haven? Shut the bathroom door, fill the tub with water and aromatherapy crystals, put on some soft music and chill out.